Lodging tax bill explained

A Joint Appropriations Bill, HB134, Wyoming Tourism Account Funding, will become official Jan. 1, 2021.

The bill imposes a 5% statewide lodging tax with 3% dedicated to tourism and 2% replacing the existing 2% optional local tax.

Local residents do not pay the lodging tax, rather those who travel around the state staying in hotels, campgrounds and vacation rentals pay the tax.

Along with the 5%, local Travel and Tourism entities may add another 2% option, renewable every four years.

Eighty-percent of the 3% that is dedicated to tourism will be deposited into the newly created tourism account and will be spent on the Wyoming Office of Tourism/Wyoming Tourism Board.

The remaining 20% will be deposited into a newly created tourism reserve account.

This year, Hot Springs Travel and Tourism will only be asking for 2% come election time rather than the 4% requested in the past as the other 2% will be provided from the state account.

There are checks and balances with the entire process with the state only able to use their portion of the funding, collected from lodging taxes, on certain things like digital content and social media that will promote the State of Wyoming.

The local portion, 4%, can only be used for advertising of our area to tourists to promote visitors to come to Hot Springs County.